"Ecclesia semper reformanda" is a Latin phrase that means "church always reforming." It describes the need for the church in every generation to be renewed by God in order to join him in his mission in the world.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

A liturgy of worship can shape the witness and mission of
the people as they gather for worship in order to be sent. This creed has been read in unison in a variety of settings including my Missional Church course at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. A recent post reported that it was used in a service of St. David's Cathedral in Australia. This creed, based on the ancient symbols, is written to affirm the
gospel and to prepare the readers for mission in the world:

We believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and
earth, who sent his Son into the world, and who now sends us into the world, as
witnesses to his reign in heaven and on earth.

We believe in Jesus Christ, who was incarnate by the Holy
Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and became man, the Light of Light who entered our
darkened world, to proclaim good news to the poor, to heal the sick, and to set
the oppressed free. For us and for our salvation, he suffered under Pontius
Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.On the third day he rose as victor from the dead.He ascended into heaven where he is head of
his body, the church, and will come again in glory and judgment, and reign in
his triumphal kingdom.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the giver of life, who leads
us, the people of God, on the mission of God, to join in the work of the
kingdom of God. In this, we are called as Christ’s holy and apostolic church,
to bear witness to God’s love, mercy and justice, to proclaim good news in word
and deed, to make disciples of all peoples, for the redemption of all creation,
to the glory of God’s holy name.Amen.

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About Me

Dr. Gustafson serves as Associate Professor of Evangelism and Missional Ministry and Chair of the Mission and Evangelism Department at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is a graduate of Linköpings Universitet in Sweden (Ph.D.), Fuller Theological Seminary (D.Min.), Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (M.Div., Th.M.), and Western Illinois University (B.B.).